Three MiG 21, MiG 27 squadrons to be phased out this year

[FunkyGen]

from coffins that fly to coffins that don't

 

[GURU DUTT]

I hope LCAs replace them and the 36 Rafales are inducted too ASAP.

all these media artickels about dipleating IAF strenths and diffrences betwwen MOD & Dassult over costs if rafles and praises of grippen NG and typhoon are just a media campain to pressurise MOD which are financed by EDAS and makers of grippen

1.40 LCA MK1 are on order already

2.Navy has already oderred a squad of Naval version of tejas

3.99 GE 414 engines are already orderred

4.Rafale deal is already on and 36 / 2 squads is the number of french made rafales while the offset caluse is bieng discussed about the reamining 4 squads are to be built in india under make in india programme which can go even higher if dassault agrees to share some critical techs

5.FGFA will come to india earlier than most think here

now as for PAF upgraded M2Ks and Mig29s and jags & bisons are for PAF onli while onli 3 dedicated squads of MKI are for this theater rest are for northen theater

 

[Stephen Cohen]

from coffins that fly to coffins that don't

Hi

I liked your Signature

4.Rafale deal is already on and 36 / 2 squads is the number of french made rafales while the offset caluse is bieng discussed about the reamining 4 squads are to be built in india under make in india programme which can go even higher if dassault agrees to share some critical techs

Sir are you sure that Rafale will Happen

The latest news is that it is stuck again

 

[Max Pain]

HAL used to manufacture Mig-21s, not just assemble. But it is uneconomical to manufacture parts for airframes that are about to be retired. Makes more sense to cannibalize.

but as the article suggests that even the parts have their lifespan hence not all parts can be used,
youd have to do quite a lot of canibalization,
i think its a viable option to produce the most pressing of parts to get the jets running for the transition period till tejas comes,
that way the squadron strength shall be maintained and the media wont make those sensational reports that IAF is losing its edge .etc

IAF baboons want to pressure GOI.

it aint really gonna help

 

[GURU DUTT]

Hi

I liked your Signature



Sir are you sure that Rafale will Happen

The latest news is that it is stuck again

rafale deal is very much on all these media articels are just a hype created by the makers of typhoon and grippen to pressurise MOD but both IAF & MOD had made it very clear that rafale will be IAFs main future fighter till FGFA arrives though total numer of rafales are still debated and depends how much french agree to share some critical techs with india

 

[Manindra]

I suspect even the numbers gap between the PAF and IAF will continue to shrink. Well talk about LCA when it enters service, has the Rafale contract been signed yet or we in for another few years of negotiation.

PAF is not in better position or even worse.
In a decade only 50 odd JF-17 & 13 F16 ADF version added in PAF & all F-16 MLU completed other side IAF add 15 Su-30MKI every year and Jaguar, MIG 29 & Mirage 2000 are in process of heavy upgradation.

 

[New Resolve]

Unless i'm wrong PAF operates 80 odd MLU F16's and 50+ JFT. JFT will maintain PAF numbers and there will be no decrease. OTOH the problem you guys have is that Rafale and other expensive toys cannot make up the fast depleting
numbers and LCA has a major ? over it. SU30 has servicibility issues, good luck replacing your entire airforce with it.

 

[IR-TR]

India could use some su-35s too am I right? Reverse engineer the damn thing. Having some 200 home made su-35s is impossible to beat. Think j-11/j-15/j-16 plan of action. Anyway, all the best to the modernization of India's Air Force!

 

[Sage]

PLAAF can only employ 15-20 squadrons max from its airbases within effective operational range near indian border and maintain any respectable sortie rate.Also due to operating from high altitude of tibet plateau most of these aircraft will be handicapped to 1/3rd of their actual load and range,climb.Try to take geography into context before making statements.

Or they may intrude from the Pakistani Bases along side with PAF ....

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

Or they may intrude from the Pakistani Bases along side with PAF ....

1.Unless they are pre-placed with all support and staff its useless ,as just planes themselves can do nothing.U need a whole logistics tail.Even USA required 6 months of buildup in saudi arabian bases before starting desert storm.
It would completely congest limited numbers of PAF bases.
These overcongested bases would be perfect targets for cruise missiles and SRBMs ,due to pak lacking strategic depth ..they would do far more dmg than usual due to lack of aircraft dispersal.Even 150-300 km missiles will cause havoc..which china could otherwise easily avoid by using its own bases in the interior.Like india uses major su-30mki bases deep in the interior in central and southern india.
Not to mention the ludicrous concept of hundreds of PLAAF aircraft flying to pak midwar.

 

[Superboy]

No SP-2 this year. 1 Tejas SP-1 cannot replace 3 MiG-21 squadrons.

 

[[Bregs]]

even final clearance for induction tejas mark 1 in December is highly unlikely, so its a zero sum game for IAF to retire this year 3 squardons

 

[acetophenol]

Opposed to this phasing off, the additions that we are looking at are (as of now)

^^^Su-30MKI @ 12 aircrafts per year (certain reports also indicate a rate of 15 aircrafts per year)

^^^BaE Hawk Mk 132 , at 13 aircrafts per year (rate b/w 2008-11)

 

[Archie]

The article Does talk about, Another Su30 MKI sqd being raised this year,

So that will ensure that net loss for IAF is 2 Sqds
Add to that
Navy will receive 9 Mig29Ks from Russia
In my opinion
18 Su30MKI + 9 Mig29Ks pack a better punch than 54 Mig21/27 being retired this year

 

[desimorty]

So These squadrons will be phased out without any replacement then. Reducing IAF furthur.
No Su30 cannot replace Mig21 as interceptor. India has no current replacement for those 21s.
And Pakistan china combined strength is 45 squadrons?

Lying to Indian masses is so easy i suppose.
PAF alone have 20 squadron strength while PLAAF Alone is a bigger Airforce then IAF.

The middle kingdom doesn't have the airbases near the indo-tibet border to accommodate all its birds but only a fraction not to mention at higher altitudes payloads are reduced and engines are shortening their life span that more quickly. Compared to the IAF which can accommodate half or more of its birds even in a 2 front war. The Su-30MKK in the PLAAF would be the only aircraft that could reach the battlefield from the mainland with significant payload and comeback that i deduce is not enough for air denial partrols? So the PLAAF doesn't have the advantage in Tibet just the homefront which is burden and blessing. Also the IAF trains a lot more than the PLAAF which doesn't fly with out surplus scrutiny and detail to flight because of the CCP. The save on operating costs but they aren't sweating so they are not prepared for a high attrition war just yet. Other than that there is also the air denial in the form of SAMs. Highly effective to deny airspace but here again the deccan plateu is swarming with SAMs as Tibet is mostly barren with the highest cliffs and mountians. A long range radar 300-km would have a lot of horizon issues as well. The terrian is not varied though and their are some flat spots ie akasi chin but not too many. I submit with this evidence that the PLAAF isn't ready to fight a war against IAF especially given if PAF is not in the foray. The PLA is a different story.
So the IAF has room to reduce squadron levels. Which begs another question when was the IAF strength level sanctioned?